


Wordless love

by dragoonsbeard



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Crying, Drowning, Emotions, First Kiss, Hugs, Hurt Merlin, Love, Merthur - Freeform, Protective Arthur, Protectiveness, Read the beginning notes for the song I imagined with it, Self-Sacrifice, Trapped, agonising fucking paiiinnn, in desperate conditions, in so many great ways, this is fucked, y'all gonna die when you read this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 16:42:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17471195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragoonsbeard/pseuds/dragoonsbeard
Summary: The water is rising, merlin is trapped....Arthur needs to save him.





	Wordless love

**Author's Note:**

> The song that inspired me write this was ‘cow song’ by Meredith monk.  
> Listen and feel nothing but this story.

Currents of turbulent waters flowed into empty space, dragging along with it remnants of shattered scrapings from the caves walls. The disrupted grey stones viciously pelted human flesh beneath the water.  
A young man frantically scrambled against the jagged cave. Pale hands tore through the gradually rising pool in attempt to free his leg, which was buried beneath a displaced mound of stone.

His fervent attempts were futile. the leg remained pinned to the floor of the flooding cavern and the waves continued to relentlessly wrench his body in directions it could not travel.

Within the roar of chaos was a despairing voice screaming his name. Choking on the gritty liquid that spilt into his mouth, the raven haired man thrust his head as high as he was able and raked the shadows for a glimpse of his friend.  
From above a thin stream of hazy light shone down into the foaming mouth of the cavern, like a heavenly beacon it illuminated a head of drenched gold. 

“MERLIN” the object howled. 

for a moment the voice became engulfed- silenced beneath the surface before once again calling to him.

As Merlin cried out to Arthur his grip on the slippery stone vanished and the young warlock found himself struggling against the tide once more. The burning in his lungs intensified with the elongated period in which the water washed over him. 

the surging waves that rumbled against his ears reminded Merlin of the echos that accompanied war, like a chorus of shouts before hundreds of men collided in a battle of endless mayhem.

Just as the urge to gulp in deep a breath of anything came upon him, two solid hands clasped onto the warlocks shoulders and hauled him into the sweet air. Sight blurred from the lack of oxygen and the tremendous assault of water merlin nearly wept at the distinctively ragged breathes of Arthur against his earlobe.

Caring little of what his king might think of him merlins fingers clawed into the treads of Arthur’s tunic desperate for a sense of safety.

“merlin” the knight gasped, short of breath “there is an exit, but we must hurry”

The servant did not reply but instead tightened his trembling embrace, he could not leave with Arthur. he was beyond saving with his leg imprisoned they way it was.  
With the heat from his beloved kings body seeping into his own merlin felt nothing but a horrid sense of dread.  
If Merlin were to part from life now he would never get to see the great realm that Arthur will build. 

Merlin studied Arthurs face with rapt attention, now oblivious to the raging water that threatened to sweep him into its ire. Merlin watched the blonds expression become fierce as he faced a direction of the cave in which the exit must be hidden.

It was then that Arthur turned to meet merlins troubled eyes, the warlock committed the timbre of the knights voice to his memory aware he might not hear it again. Arthurs lips were moving, what he was saying didn’t register.

‘Im so sorry- Arthur’ the voice that exited broke off with a repressed sob

Arthurs gaze returned to his friend, before growing ever sharper with the unease settling in his gut.

“I’m stuck”

the violent current ploughed into Arthurs back once more jostling him further into his servant. Pushing against the force he demanded numbly “where?”

merlin wheezed “leg”

The king was instantly lost from the warlocks line of sight as he plunged himself below the rising tide. the icy sensation that dragged across Arthurs skin was promptly ignored whilst he identified the the torn strips of merlins breaches that flailed and curled around the knights wrists.

His leg was truely and firmly wedged between stone.

Emerging, Arthur greedily inhaled before sinking into darkness once more. Bracing his legs against the floor he strained against the weight of the boulder and desperately wished for it to shift.  
Lungs burning he arose for air, his intentions to try again were halted by Merlin who scrabbled for a firm grip on his masters form.

clasping onto a soaked clump of cloth he pleaded “go! just get out of here”

Arthur stared into the frantic blues of merlins eyes, his raven locks were plastered to the side of his porcelain white cheeks and swirling in the water like spilt ink.

“since when-” droplets water dipped in between his curled lips “-did i ever start taking orders from you?”

The king sunk beneath blue once more, nails clawed, tore and uprooted dirt into the relentless waves but his attempts were useless. Part of Arthur knew this.  
he knew that there was no escape for merlin, but by an unseen force the man could not abandon his dearest friend. whether that unseen force be honour and the obligation to his disciple or something else entirely.  
it seemed wherever one of them ventured the other followed.

Merlins leg was warm against the kings palm as he fumbled for any purchase on the stone.

Eventually out of breathe he rose to find merlins face twisted in desperation.  
The surface swirling about them was steadily enveloping the raven haired servant, its silvery ripples sluggishly seeped past the porcelain white of merlins cheeks. Before eventually consuming his sapphire gaze.

Arthur borne to rule the great Albion, could do nothing.

Beneath the water he could feel merlin pressed into his stomach, numb hands hopelessly bunching Arthurs scarlet shirt in a fierce grip.  
Moisture dripped from the pendragon’s eyes as he equally returned the embrace. lost to agony as he held his dearest friend.

Arthur could feel the warmth of Merlins body, he could feel the mans locks twirling in his fingertips.

Before the king knew of his own actions. Arthur had plunged himself down with his servant- gingerly cradling the back of merlins head in his palm- Arthur dragged merlin towards him.

Lips now sealed in a passionate kiss Arthur breathed into Merlin’s mouth- willing the warlock to stay with him for a moment longer. delaying the invertible. 

They parted and Arthur chased the surface of the chasm before returning once more.  
This time merlin was prepared for Arthurs gift and clung to the sides of the royals face and welcomed the kiss.

However, Arthur did not slip from Emrys’s hold as he previously had done, but instead entangled himself within Merlins grasp in attempt to convey the words they never shared. 

Above them, the waves had risen to impossible heights. the exit was now closed and beyond them. 

That fact was no concern to Merlin who merely wished to spend his final moments in the arms, of the man he loved.  
Soon the burn scorching his lungs became unbearable- the icy depths flooded into him- now lost to the darkness he convulsed against Arthur who soon joined him.

**Author's Note:**

> don't know why merlin didn't use his magic but- it did earn him a smooch
> 
> he practically killed himself to get a kiss- but lets just not mention this. whoops


End file.
